Obituaries

Jan 26, 2019

Lonas "Don" Stephens

Age 84 of Saunemin IL, and formerly Dwight, Gardner and Tennessee, passed away ­­­­­­­­­­­­­peacefully surrounded by his children, Ron, Donna & Leigh Ann at Joliet Area Hospice Home on Saturday, January 26, 2019.

Born in Monroe County, Tennessee on April 26, 1934, Don was one of four Children born to Bonnie (Sawyer)...

Jan 26, 2019

Kathryn (Barra) Winkel

Age 90 of Morris and formerly of Coal City, passed away Saturday, January 26, 2019 at Regency Care in Morris.

Born May 1, 1928 in Coal City, Kathryn was a daughter of Thomas and Kathryn (Gianu) Barra. She was raised and educated in Coal City and would later meet the love of...

Jan 23, 2019

Esther A. Farrero

Age 92 of Los Angeles, California, and formerly of Coal City, passed away Wednesday January 23, 2019 at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Born October 5, 1926 in Coal City, Esther Ann was the daughter of John "Morey" Farrero and Anna "Norma" (nee Jacklich) Goldie. She was raised and educated...

Jan 22, 2019

Diane (Chouinard) Rooney

Age 74 of Morris, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at Regency Care in Morris.

Born December 3, 1944 in Kankakee, Diane Lynn was a daughter of Richard "Riz" and Darlene (Lockwood) Chouinard. She was raised and educated in Morris and graduated from Morris High School with the class of...

Jan 18, 2019

Ruth Lambros

Age 88 of Morris, formerly Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed away Friday January 18, 2019 at Park Pointe Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Morris.

Born March 26, 1930 in Morris, Althea Ruth was a daughter of Clarence and Edna (nee Thorsen) Dix. She was raised and educated in Morris, and graduated from Morris High School...

Jan 16, 2019

David G. Carter

Age 66 of Rockdale, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

Born September 18, 1952 in Clarksville, Tennessee, David Gerald was a son of Elijah and Willie Mae (Black) Carter. He was raised and educated in Joliet and attended Laraway High School. David proudly served in the United States Army during...

Jan 12, 2019

Lawrence J. Welegala

“Larry”

Age 81 of Wilmington and formerly of Denver, Colorado, passed away peacefully Saturday, January 12, 2019 at home with family by his side.

Born January 18, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, Lawrence Joseph was a son of Charles and Julia (Bozek) Welegala. He was raised and educated in the McKinley...

Jan 12, 2019

Richard A. “Rick” Juster

Age 50 of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, January 12, 2019 at his home.

Born July 20, 1968, Richard Andrew is the son of Harold Hirsch and Sharon Mae (Littauer) Juster of Bolingbrook. He was raised and educated in Bolingbrook; and went on to honorably serve in the United States...

Jan 12, 2019

Beverley Cortina

Age 87 of Joliet and formerly of Burbank, passed away peacefully on Saturday January 12, 2019 at her home surrounded by family.

Born and raised in Chicago, Beverley married Frank J. Cortina on October 8, 1949 in St. Ambrose Church in Chicago. A devoted wife and mother, nothing gave Beverley more joy than...

Jan 11, 2019

Dorothy L. Bogan

Age 76 of Diamond and formerly of Wilmington and South Chicago Heights, passed away Friday, January 11, 2019 at her home.

Born November 29, 1942 in Chicago, Dorothy Louise was a daughter of Peter and Dorothy (Suprenant) Messlein. She was raised in Oak Lawn and graduated from Oak Lawn High School. Dorothy...

Jan 6, 2019

Anna Mae Butcher Soave

Age 89, late of Wilmington, passed away Sunday January 6, 2019 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, Illinois.

Born March 2, 1929 in Ritchie, Illinois, Anna Mae was a daughter of Fred Joseph and Alice Bernadette (Wickman) Harding. She was raised in Peotone and attended Peotone High School. Anna Mae married...

Jan 4, 2019

James A. Heelan

“Jim”

Age 60 of Braidwood, formerly Joliet, passed away Friday January 4, 2019 at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born September 25, 1958 in Corinth, Mississippi, and was raised and educated in Lisle. He graduated from Lisle Senior High School, and on May 7, 1983 he married Julie...

Jan 4, 2019

Nancy Jean (Higgins) Matheny

Age 87 of Mesa, Arizona and formerly of Morris, passed away Friday, January 4, 2019.

Born March 8, 1931 in Morris, Nancy Jean was a daughter of Russell and Florence (Phelps) Higgins. She was raised and educated in Morris and graduated from Morris High School with the class of 1949. On...

Jan 4, 2019

Barbara B. Merkel

Age 86 of Wesley Township, Wilmington, passed away peacefully on Friday evening January 4, 2019, at her winter home in Scottsdale, Arizona with family at her side.

Born January 29, 1932 in Heyworth, Illinois, Barbara was the daughter of Samuel L. and Eva Kathryn (LaFollette) Bray. She was raised in Wilmington; graduated from...

Jan 3, 2019

Richard W. Gunderson

“Dick”

Age 71 of Wilmington passed away Thursday January 3, 2019 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

Born December 18, 1947 in Chicago, Richard William was a son of William and Gweneth (nee Ostrom) Gunderson. He was raised and educated in Wheaton, and graduated from Wheaton High School. Dick honorably...

Jan 2, 2019

Jack Kutches

Age 89 of Morris, passed away Wednesday, January 02, 2019 at Morris Hospital.

Born July 20, 1929 in Streator, Illinois, John Thomas was a son of John and Susan (Bresnay) Kutches. He was raised in Streator and graduated from Streator High School. On September 6, 1950, Jack married Marianne Coughlin in St. Mary’s...

Jan 1, 2019

Audrey Ellen Neely

Age 80 of Wilmington, passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

Born March 2, 1938 in Shelbyville, Illinois, Audrey Ellen was a daughter of William Wesley and Eva Gertrude (Eaton) Mansfield. She was raised in the Shelbyville area and went on to marry James E. Neely, who...

Dec 31, 2018

Bonnie LaShure

Age 69 of Wilmington, passed away from cancer at her home on Monday, December 31, 2018.

Born June 20, 1949 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Bonnie was a daughter of Russell and Alice (Doyen) Jessee. She grew up on the family farm southwest of Pocahontas, Iowa and graduated from Pocahontas Community High School with the Class...

Dec 29, 2018

Henry J. Prosser, Jr.

Age 93 of Wilmington, passed away Saturday, December 29, 2018 at Rock Run Place Assisted Living in Joliet, Illinois.

Born May 3, 1925 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Henry Jennings was a son of Henry, Sr. and Emma (Harris) Prosser. He was raised in Lincoln before relocating to Wilmington, where he graduated with...

Dec 29, 2018

Bill Hollmeyer

Age 92 and a lifelong resident of Gardner, passed away peacefully, Saturday, December 29, 2018 at Harvest View Assisted Living in Herscher.

Born May 6, 1926 in Gardner, Bill Lees was a son of Henry and Alta (Lees) Hollmeyer. He was raised and educated in Gardner and went on to honorably serve in...